Two Can Play That Game

This film offers just a bit of insight to the relationship game. This is not really anything new, but it's still entertaining and the acting worked for me. So, don't run out of your way to see it, but if it's on, go ahead and you should enjoy it.

A smart and sassy ad exec, Shante ( Viveca Fox looking very hot ) wants to keep her man, Keith ( Morris Chestnut also looking pretty fine ) in check after he messes up by saying he is "working late" and ends up taking another woman to "their" restaurant for some drinks and dancing. What happens next is Shante's 10 day rules of putting you man in check. We're taken along for hilarious ride as Shante and Keith match wits to see who can get the upper hand. The movie depicts very honestly, and in a humorous way, the games men and women play with each other. Anthony Anderson is a riot as Keith's friend, Tony, who helps Keith battle the very sly Shante at her game. Shante's gal pals, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Mo'Nique, and Tamala Jones, are also pretty funny. Gabrielle Union makes a sexy turn as Shante's nemesis who is after Keith and isn't shy about it. This battle of the sexes romp is hilarious and witty and should just be enjoyed for what it is; a real good time. A great friends get together flick.

There are just wayyy too many cliches to take this movie seriously, but if you're up for a few laughs, you could do worse than to watch this romp.

This film may perhaps be Anthony Anderson's coming-out movie, because he not just steals the show, he dominates! After playing the bumbling type in both Kingdom Come and Romeo Must Die, here in TCPTG he is the driving force. (Granted, I haven't seen every film he's done, so he might have had other parts that demonstrated his talent; but note that after this movie he did Barbershop and appears lined up to appear in no less than 4 movies in 2003).

And, a tip of the hat to Mo'Nique Imes-Jackson, she's a riot too.

I must admit, I think the significance of The Cosby Show, depicting upwardly-mobile urban black professionals, has played itself out so that we don't need to forcefeed images of rich black people (in this vein, the homey feel of Eddie Murphy's The Klumps as well as his unfortunately discontinued The PJs was ironically refreshing - I wish I could digress fully and explore this thought; if you want to follow up, email me).

Anyway, there are some golden moments in this movie. The first-person narrative was almost irritating at the beginning, but if you can endure the first 10 minutes of it, it is developed nicely into a decent tool to set up some of the coming laughs.

As a romantic comedy, I remember how much I enjoyed The Money Pit; my wife can't see what I see in that film. But, as an 80s comedy, it was both silly yet touching. And then there was the more mature Other People's Money, which had enough business tension that it was almost not a comedy, except for Danny DeVito. In other words, there are many ways in which to approach "the romantic comedy," and as such, there's plenty of room for TCPTG, if you are willing to give it the same slack you might give any other romantic comedy (Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, etc., etc.,).

You know, it sorta sounds like I'm apologizing for this film. In a way, I am, because the elements of it that the average person will notice and have difficult with are the same elements the average person is blind towards in other movies.

Bottom line, for light-hearted fun, you won't be wasting your money to rent it.

Shanté Smith (Vivica A. Fox) is a confident, successful, beautiful woman. She knows how to handle her man, she knows how to navigate the shark-infested business waters, and she knows how to dress for success in both the bedroom and the boardroom. Shanté is the envy of her best girlfriends Diedre, Karen and Tracye (Mo'Nique, Wendy Raquel Robinson, and Tamala Jones), who always turn to their wise mentor for romantic advice. But what happens when the teacher unexpectedly becomes the student? Shanté has a few things to learn, she realizes, when she catches her man Keith (Morris Chestnut) in the arms of her business rival, Conny (Gabrielle Union). Shanté immediately puts her step-by-step "Ten Day Plan" into action to get him back in line and back to her. Unfortunately the happy ending that Shanté fully expects goes upside down when Keith begins following the advice of his buddy Tony (Anthony Anderson), who brings a player's perspective to the games girls play. Fox carries Two Can Play That Game, and she carries it well. She is able to play her character in the traditional manner, and directly address the audience with sassy little asides. Doing this is risky and it usually doesn't work, but in this case Fox as Shanté is so likeable she easily draws the audience into her world and makes us feel that we're a part of it. First-time director Mark Brown (producer of "How To Be A Player") should be commended for being able to strike this precarious balance. So too should the scribe -- hey, it's Mark Brown again! -- who wrote a witty, enchanting script. There's all-out comedy (when Shanté is on the sixth day of her Ten Day Plan, she must get out there and date. you've never seen an assembly line of so many hilarious losers) balanced with believable, heartfelt romance.

While Fox does carry this comedy of the heart, she is well-supported by a standout cast of talented, likeable actors. Morris is almost as foxy as Fox as they love and spar; Anderson is so laugh-out-loud funny you'll need to bring tissues to the theatre; Mo'Nique is so cool you'll want her for your own best friend; and the smooth, sexy singer Bobby Brown is practically unrecognizable in a cameo appearance as a buck-toothed mechanic in desperate need of a makeover. Most of the characters in Two Can Play That Game are in need of a little "makeover" -- particularly when it comes to how they look at love and romance. But the movie itself needs no such makeover. It's perfect just the way it is.

This movie had the potential to do something great, but failed. Vivica Fox was decent in her first starring role (was it a starring role?) as Shante. She is a great actress who doesn't get great roles (like most black actresses) but she put accurate effort into the character. The problem was that the movie relied too heavily on Shante's in-your-face-dialogue. And the game itself was a bit too farfetched. Of course women play games, but the lengths Shante went to just to teach Keith a lesson wasn't realistic. And is it just me or was practically everybody from The Brothers in this movie? (Morris Chestnut, Tamala Jones, Gabrielle Union). Good note - Monique was hilarious in her role as she should be. I did like this movie, but it would be nice to see a black movie that doesn't always rely on humor and battle of the sexes-type themes. What I would give to see a serious movie about African-Americans again. Another Soul Food-esque film would be excellent.